The Standells En La Casa

2009 is the new 1966. In September The Remains and New Dawn came to Portland to show the kiddies that true garage rock is actually made in sound-proofed home studios out of earshot of wives rather than square parents.

Now we get The Standells, the L.A. proto-punk band that scored a hit in 1966 with "Dirty Water" and inspired thousands of young weirdos to crank up the fuzz. The Standells will perform Saturday, Dec. 5 at East End.

The Mercury caught up with the band performing the Beatles' "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" at a recent secret house show full of pasty Portlanders (note the bearded guy)... in an off-the-beaten-path Spanish neighborhood. It was the damndest thing.